The
Dragon Age: Origins Interview on The Game Reviews chats with Mark
Darrah, Executive Producer on BioWare's upcoming RPG. Along the way they learn
that before the game hits gamers' systems they are already gearing up a
merchandizing blitz: "So right now there is a novel coming out before the game,
and another novel coming out along with the game. There is a pen and paper game
in the works. We have apparel deals. We are working with a company to
potentially get swords made. We also are working on comic book, and a few other
things just in a planning phase at the moment."

Holy blue flaming Jesus on a pogo stick! They don't even know how the game will be recieved and they're trying to cram even more advertising down are throats than we've already been subjected to. I am choking to death on the sheer volume of advertising - bad advertising at that - that they've been force feeding us with this game. To me it smacks of desperation. It's the desperate cry of trying to gussy up a 6 to make it look like a 9. This reeks of suck.

“That's it. You people have stood in my way long enough. I'm going to clown college!”

RPG has it's roots in co-operative play, see pen and paper. No one forces you to use Ventrilo and there is nothing stopping you and your friend from roleplaying in the game. Co-op and RPG work well together if the players drive the narrative, Dungeon Siege is a perfect example of that.

Really though, I'm just reiterating... Every genre... Should have coop multiplayer

Completely and utterly disagreed. Co-op is counter-productive to immersion. When you're playing a game with a buddy, you are constantly reminded that you are playing a game. This is why horror games don't work well with co-op and RPGs boil down to dungeon crawling in co-op.

Anyhow... After this wall of text, I'll get to my inquiry. I haven't looked into the game a lot, though I've browsed some of their site (FAQ), and some youtube videos, and I see no mention of Multi Player... Did they really go the TES route and leave out that biggest replayability inducing factor?

I never did pick up NWN2.... Didn't think enough of the first one, In part, because of all the hype beforehand, and it not living up to my expectations...

Perception is everything, and I generally try to stay ignorant of entertainment media now, so I don't go in with an impression that's going to change my enjoyment (sometimes more, sometimes less)...

Reminds me of Blair Witch... Holy hyped out movie... I went with a group of friends, and I swear, I was on the edge of my seat, WAITING for the scary part... The only emotion that movie evoked in me, was the desire to go camping...

Anyhow... After this wall of text, I'll get to my inquiry. I haven't looked into the game a lot, though I've browsed some of their site (FAQ), and some youtube videos, and I see no mention of Multi Player... Did they really go the TES route and leave out that biggest replayability inducing factor?

I want this game to not suck.. I really do. Somehow I feel like I'm going to be disappointed.

Just got done watching a fairly long gameplay video. The game looked like it played nearly exactly like Neverwinter Nights 2. Personally, I felt NWN2 was simply not fun, as the gameplay boiled down to struggling against the abhorrent party AI and dynamics.

I kind of thought that was obvious from the get go, next up Dragon Age Role Playing Game.

Im betting the guys who own the D&D licence are shitting in their pants as we speak....

I have to somewhat agree with you on this it seems pretty obvious by now that Bioware wants to establish it's own "D&D" like IP. I would expect rule books, comics, modules, etc. in the near future as well as a plethora of new games based on this IP.

Although D&D is a very well established brand & it will take many years & many successes if Bioware wants that crown. But it is the 21st century & maybe Dragon Age will be the "New" D&D?